Email Newsletters

Woman sentenced for stealing $675,000 from Carol Stream employer

By SUBURBAN LIFE MEDIA

Oct. 4, 2013

Photo provided

Caption

Brenda Robinson

CAROL STREAM – A Chicago woman was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for stealing about $675,000 in merchandise from her Carol Stream employer, according to an Oct. 4 news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.

Brenda Robinson, 48, worked for Office Depot of Carol Stream for 10 years, most recently as a supervisor, the release said.

During that time, she processed damaged or defective merchandise for return to vendors, upon which Office Depot is issued credit, according to the release. As a result of this credit policy, Robinson's employer suffered a loss on unreturned merchandise.

Robinson began stealing items for return and mailing them to her own or another's home in 2007, the release said. In each instance, she is estimated to have stolen about $1,500 in merchandise such as laptops, tablets, computer software and cleaning supplies.

She continued to steal one to two times per week until she was charged with the thefts in July 2012, according to the release. Robinson is estimated to have shipped stolen merchandise on at least 450 occasions.

The thefts came to an end when authorities at Office Depot became suspicious and conducted an internal investigation, bringing their findings surrounding her actions to law enforcement, the release said.

Robinson will be required to complete 50 percent of her sentence before she is eligible for parole. She is also ordered to pay $300,000 in restitution to Office Depot.